Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-27

he saw no necessity Tor Tho bill. II ws
simply the original Randall bill with
slight notifications The object sought
TO I've attained seemed 10 be free tobac-
co. He added that the Randall bill,
now on the calendar with An adverse re-
port by the Committee on Ways and
Means, had been there for some
months, and he had little doubt might
ere this have been brought up for con-
sideration in the House.
Chairman Belmont, OF the House
Committee on Foreign Affairs, says
that the fishery bill adopted by the
Senate will probably be considered at
meeting Of the House committee to-
morrow. Although the committee was
authorized TO report the matter back
to the House at any time, Mr.. Belmont
does not believe IL will be ready TO re-
port before next week, end intimated
that the bill might he amended by the
committee before being presented 10
the House.
Estimates for the payment OF pen
sions under the Mexican pension bill
were transmitted to-day 10 the House
10y the Secretary Of the Treasury. In
letter from the Commissioner Of
Pensions, accompanying the Secretarys
communication, that officer says that
the probable number of surviving en-
listed men of the classes described in
the bill is 34,7i8, and the probable
number of widows 1896. The amount
which will he required for making the
first annual payment is $i,663, l0l,
which the Commissioner requests 10
be made Immediately available He
also says to dispose Of the work created
by the bill before June Both next il
viii require an aggregate increase in the
force of the Pension Bureau of 22l
employees and an addition 10 the pay
roll of $257, 900.
House bill reported by Senator Mil
Ter to-day to enlarge the powers Of the
Department of Agriculture and TO
create an executive department 10 be
known as the Department of Agricul-
ture and Labor, contains several amend
ments put on by the Senate committee.
One of them provides for the transfer
Of the Bureau of Labor to the proposed
new department, and fixes the salary OF
| the Commissioner of Labor at 81, 800.
| The bill also contains the following as
an additional section That the United
States Signal Service Bureau is hereby
transferred to the Department of Agri-
| culture and Labor, and shall consist OF
one chief and such subordinate
| officers and employees as may be
necessary to efficiently manage
the said bureau until otherwise
provided by law. The present organi-
zation of the subordinate force of said
bureau shall continue as at present.
| The chief Of said bureau shall receive
an annual compensation Of 1000, and
be appointed by the President, by and
with the advice and consent of the Sen
ate and moneys appropriated for said
service, and hereafter appropriated,
shall be disbursed under the direction
of the Secretary of the Department OF
Agriculture and Labor
In the secret session of the Senate to-
| day the nomination of J. {. Matthews
of Albany, (colored) recorder of deeds
of this District, was reached and dis
cussed for an hour, the majority Of
Senators present giving their reasons
for the vote they were about to cast.
The nomination was rejected. The
vote is understood to have been II to
81. OF the minority three are Republi-
cans and n prOportionate number of the
majority are said to be Democrats